Collapsible funnel.



H. S. WELSH. COLLAPSIBLE FUNNEL. APPLICATION FILED ocT. II. I9I6.

,24793545 atent'ed Nov. 20, 191?.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

5651,; gai/5 @Hoammj H. S. WELSH. COLLAPSIBLE FUNNEL. APPLICATION FILED oc. II. IQIG.

Patented Nov. 20, 1917.

H. S. WELSH.

COLLAPSIBLE FUNNEL.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. II, 1915.

y Patented Nov. 20, 1917.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

5 nvm/Mofa HARRY S.' WELSH, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

COLLAPSIBLE FUNNEL.

Specification of Letters E'atent. Ptgntgdl NUM 20. 19117.

Application filed October 11, 1916. Serial No. 124,927.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I. HARRY S. iVnnsn, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of New York, in the county of New York and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Collapsible Funnels of which the following is a specification.

rIhis invention relates to improvementsl in devices for conducting fluids from one receptacle to another land particularly to types which are collapsible.A so that, when not in use, the same may be folded and stored in small compass, such devices being commonly known as tunnels.

The principal object of the invention is to provide a funnel which may be readily attached to or detached from a convenient point of support, adjacent to the inlet of the vesselto be filled, the outer upper end ot' the funnel being expansible. so that iluids from a bucket or similar wide-mouthed dispensing vessel may be entered therein.

A further object is to provide such tunnels with means whereby they may be firmly held when .in an extended position, thereby avoiding the danger of an inadvertent collapse.

These and other objects, such as simplicity of construction, ease of application, and convenience in use, are attained by the novel construction and combination of parts hereafter described and shown in the accompanying drawings, forming a material part ol" this specification, and in which Figure l is a partial top plan view show# ing the funnel in an expanded position.

Fig. :2 is a side elevational view of the same.

Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view taken on line 3 3 of Fig. l.

Fig. 4t is a perspective view showing the device for holding the walls ot the funnel in an open position.

Fig. 5 is a sectional view showing a means of attachment to the container.

Fig. C is a similar view showing a nlodified form ot' attaching means.

Fig. 7 is a partial side view showing a modilication in attaching means.

Fig. S is a like view showing a different disposition.

Fig. 9 is a top plan view showing the Jfunnel in a folded or collapsed position.

Fig. l() is a similar plan view showing a. inodied form of funnel in its tolded position. and

F ig. ll is a fragmentary detail view ot the construction shown in Fie. l0.

In all of the several views, the funnel is shown to be comprised of pairs ot segmental metallic plates l0 and 1'2, respectively. outer and inner, connected along their lateral edges by flexible. elements 14 secured by i row of rivets 15 so as to form a` substantial impervious joint between each of. the several segmental side walls.

In thc present construction, the funnel is shown to be. octagonal, having a normally widely spaced top opening 1G. the lower or contracted end 18 being ot' a size adapted to be received within the connecting elements attached permanently to the `filling nozzle or mouth ot the container.

Secured upon alternate wall elements 1;), are perforated clips z() having openings or eyes 2l iu their extending ends adapted to receive the hook-slnmed, down-turned terv minals 22 ot the arms Q2, pivoted by the pins 24 in brackets formed with an annulus 2G, the annulus acting as a connection between the several arms. so that when the same are extended. as shown in Figs. l and 3, the walls are maintained in a substantially rigid condition and prevented trom collapsing by reason oll contact with the lilling vessel as bet'ore indicated.

iVhen the anuulus is withdrawn,y the seg ments forming the side walls, may be readily collapsed in an obvious manner. as shown in Fig. 9.

To the lower end ot' the segmental sides arc attached bracket elements turned feet 3l adapted to be annular groove 2&2, iormed in an adapter 33, screw threaded to the nozzle El?) of the container 3G as shown in Figs. Q and 3. The. flexibility oi the. segments is such as to permit the t'ect Zito be readily entered into thc groove, whereby the expander is placed in position, holding-jr,l the 'lunnel rigidly engaged in the grooves -ll ol the. adapter 2li-. ln Fig. 5, the. adapter t() is shown to be. ol annular construction suited lo be. tightly fitted within the nozzle 35, the adapter containing an open annular slot ll, similar in all respects to the slot 32 before mentioned. ln Fig. 6, the adapter 45 is suited to the screw threads 3() having out roccIved in an 46, formed in the nozzle and contains a similar annular groove 47 to that previously described.

In Fig. 7, the adaptationv shown varies from the foregoing by the use of a lexible sleeve 50, engaged by any suitable means with the lower end of the funnel, the sleeve in turn being secured by rivets 5l to an annular ring 52, adapted to be engaged with the container. When not in use, the sleeve, by reason of its flexibility, may be pushed upwardly into the funnel, as shown in Fig. S.

Figs. l0 andll show a. modified form of funnel construction, in which single side elements '(30, each having angularly disposed side edges, forming segmental plates, are connected along their edges by integrally formed hinges, engaged by a. single pin element (il, and -it will be evident that the holding arrangements at the bottom of this modified form may be of a nature similar to that already described and that its operation is the same.

The principal object of the invention is that of filling the radiators of internal eo1nbustion engines such as are used'in connection with automobiles, boats and like vehicles, in which it is desired to maintain the engine in a relatively `cool condition, irrespective of the heat engendered by its action. The usual construction of the reservoir for holding cool Huid, being such that difliculty is encountered in filling the same, hence the desirability of the means above described.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is 1*' In a collapsible funnel, the combination with a plurality of rigid metallic plates each being wider at the top than at the bottom and having parallel top and bottom edges,` said plates being flexibly joined along their lateral edges, perforated clips secured to the inner side of each alternate plate, hooks engageable in the perforat-ions of said clips, an annulus to which the inner ends of said hooks are hingedly engaged whereby said plates may be held in an expanded position, and meansen aged with the. lower end of said plates a'tla ted tosustain the same when in an expanded position.

Signed at New York, in the county vof New York, and State of New York, this day of Aug., 1916.

HARRY s. WELSH. 

